Application Of Test Research Articles

Cardiopulmonary exercise test in medical and biological practice (literature review)

Most tests assess physiology at rest, whereas many symptoms occur with physical exertion, and physical activity is an integral part of healthy functioning and quality of life of a person. Today, cardiopulmonary exercise testing is considered the standard for identifying exercise limitations and differentiating their causes.Cardiopulmonary exercise testing is widely used in both basic and the latest research from cardiology and pulmonology to neurology and hematology and has great prognostic value. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing is considered the gold standard for non-invasive assessment of the cardiopulmonary system and physical performance. This study has become even more relevant and in demand due to the COVID-19 outbreak; now it plays an important role in the clinical assessment of recovering patients who have had COVID-19.Numerous indicators recorded at each stage of the study, taken together, allow us to obtain a complete picture of the work of the cardiovascular, respiratory and muscular systems, as well as to study the characteristics of the metabolic response to stress.This article contains a review of the literature on the history of the application and development of the cardiopulmonary exercise testing, its physiological characteristics and a study of the literature concerning application of studied method in medicine over the past 5 years. The search and analysis of articles were carried out using the scientometric databases PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Academia.The presented article may be useful for young specialists working in functional diagnostics, cardiology and pulmonology, as well as for researchers and postgraduates whose work involves application of the cardiopulmonary exercise testing method.

Possibilities of Application of Adaptive Knowledge Testing Using Artificial Neural Networks in Training Economics Students

Possibilities of Application of Adaptive Knowledge Testing Using Artificial Neural Networks in Training Economics Students

Applied experimental research on in-situ online monitoring instrument for soil radon in fault zone

As an emerging method for seismic precursory signals in underground fluid, the reliability and stability of in-situ online monitoring devices for soil radon are crucial performance indicators that are directly related to the successful implementation of continuous monitoring of soil radon in seismic areas. This study conducted laboratory testing and field applications of a new in-situ online monitoring instrument for seismic soil radon, utilizing the experimental testing conditions provided by the radon monitoring instrument detection platform of the China Earthquake Administration and the natural experimental site at Xianshuihe Fault Zone in the China Seismic Experimental Site. The results indicate that laboratory measurement repeatability of the instrument is 5.53%, the relative intrinsic error of radon volume response activity is 1.53%, and the response capability of hourly sampling at high radon volume response activity (greater than 1.0 × 105 Bq/m3) lags behind the standard instrument by 2 h, essentially meeting the requirements for seismic observation. Under field conditions, the instruments exhibit good synchronization in response at different depths at the same location. However, further improvements are needed to enhance the consistency of long-term operation in the field, as well as the adaptability to outdoor self-powering, data transmission, and environmental conditions.

Development of Science Learning Modules with Computer-Based Test (CBT) Assessments to Train Critical Thinking Skills of Students at SMP Negeri 7 Bontang

This study aims to improve Modules for science subject with the Computer-Based Test Assessment in order to train students’ critical thinking on one of science topics which is human’s respiratory system using ADDIE model. This model of research is the development research level 3. The data were collected by involving expert’s validation, observation, test, and questionnaire. The results showed that: the module validity result in terms of module itself was 93.75% with a very valid category. The validity in terms of language and material were 88.77% and 99.54% respectively, while the results by the Computer-Based Test application were 97%. The module’s practical results assessed by questionnaires were 89.41% and it means this module is highly practical to be used. The results of the module’s efficacy in terms of normality, the n-gain of all classes in pre-test and post-test’s sig value > 0.05, therefore the data was distributed normally. The results of paired sample t-test indicate that there is a noticeable difference on the average of pre-test and post-test results in the experimental group. Hence, the science module with Computer-Based Test is effective to be utilized as learning materials that can increase students’ critical thinking skills at schools.

Frequency selection method with support vector machine to minimize the impact of individual differences on the electrical impedance spectra of fruits

Individual differences in electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) parameters is a technical bottleneck in fruit quality detection. To achieve non-destructive fruit quality testing and minimize the impact of individual differences, this paper proposes a frequency selection + support vector machine strategy based on the frequency response characteristics of biological tissues and the path of current flow. This study found obvious differences in the EIS parameters of different samples. The measurement stability was affected by the electrode type and frequency. The destructive needle electrode was much less affected by individual differences than the non-destructive patch electrode. The effect of low frequencies was greater than that of high frequencies. The heterogeneity of the fruit peel and pulp and the contact area between the electrode and peel were the main reasons for individual differences. When detecting banana maturity, the highest precision of the models was 98.9% by proposed methods; however, the generalizability of the model and its application for other fruit quality tests still require further verification and optimization. The results promote the practical application of EIS in the field of fruit quality assessment and provide new insights for the quality evaluation of other agricultural products.

Structural Response Analysis and Comfort Evaluation of Residential Buildings: A Combined Wind Tunnel and FEM Approach

With global urbanization accelerating, high-rise buildings have become a common feature in the urban landscape, especially in coastal cities, where they encounter unique wind-load challenges. This study aims to quantify the structural response and occupant comfort of a high-rise residential building under wind-induced accelerations by integrating wind tunnel testing with finite element analysis (FEA). The research focuses on critical response parameters, including displacement, acceleration, and stress, to evaluate the building’s performance. Wind tunnel tests provided detailed wind pressure distribution data across the building’s surface, while multi-degree-of-freedom and finite element models facilitated precise numerical simulations. The findings highlight a significant directional and temporal variability in wind-load responses, with the most pronounced effects observed at a wind-direction angle of 105° relative to the building’s front-facing axis (0°). The study confirms that the combined application of wind tunnel tests and FEA offers a comprehensive approach to understanding wind-induced responses, essential for the scientifically accurate and effective design of high-rise structures.

Lights and shadows in the application of the resazurin test on Macaronesian flora

Seed viability tests are essential for seed bank management and the ex situ conservation of genetic biodiversity. Although there are different methods for determining the viability of the seeds, none of them is 100% effective, many require a considerable number of resources, some are not entirely reliable, others are time-consuming, they destroy the seeds, and/or can even be dangerous for the researcher/laboratory technician. However, a new simple, quick and non-destructive seed viability test has been recently described. This method is based on the reduction of resazurin to highly fluorescent resorufin by the respiration of a yeast activated by solute leak from non-viable seeds. In the present study, we tested this method in 53 taxa from 28 families from the Macaronesian region. We did not find a significant correlation between the germination and the resazurin test. Although there were several taxa that showed a high positive correlation, many other taxa exhibited a low positive correlation. Besides, we did not detect standard absorbance values from the resazurin test that determined seed health conditions. Though the resazurin viability method could be a good viability test, this should be standardized for each taxon.

Autoimmune Progesterone Dermatitis Following Placement of a Progesterone-eluting IUD

A 26-year-old female with a history of Raynaud’s phenomenon and a family history of autoimmune disease presented with a cyclical facial rash for 10 months following placement of a progesterone-eluting IUD. The rash began 3-4 days before the onset of menses as a crusted, oozing, vesicular rash, and dried out and improved a few days following the onset of menses. The rash began around her eyes and progressively moved to her forehead, cheeks, jaw, and neck as the months on the IUD progressed. Physical exam revealed poorly-demarcated, pink scaly plaques with overlying crust on the mid-forehead, eyes, cheeks, nose, perioral region, and mid-chin. Patch testing and open application testing of personal skincare products at home were negative. ANA was marginally positive 1:40, although the rest of the rheumatologic workup was unrevealing. The patient’s history and exam were suggestive of autoimmune progesterone dermatitis and she planned to have her progesterone-eluting IUD exchanged for a copper IUD the following week. If no improvement, the patient planned to see a gynecologic endocrinologist for contraception with hormonal treatment that suppresses progesterone secretion rather than using progesterone to inhibit ovulation. The patient was lost to follow-up. Autoimmune progesterone dermatitis, also known as progesterone hypersensitivity, is a rare and under-recognized entity that may be triggered by endogenous (menses, pregnancy) or exogenous progesterone/progestin exposure (contraceptives, IVF).1 It may have a variety of clinical presentations and is thought to be IgE-mediated.1 Management may include reduction of exogenous progesterone and symptomatic control.

Reproducible 3D culture of multicellular tumor spheroids in supramolecular hydrogel from cancer stem cells sorted by sedimentation field-flow fractionation

Three-dimensional (3D) cancer models, such as multicellular tumor spheroids (MCTS), are biological supports used for research in oncology, drug development and nanotoxicity assays. However, due to various analytical and biological challenges, the main recurring problem faced when developing this type of 3D model is the lack of reproducibility. When using a 3D support to assess the effect of biologics, small molecules or nanoparticles, it is essential that the support remains constant over time and multiples productions. This constancy ensures that any effect observed following molecule exposure can be attributed to the molecule itself and not to the heterogeneous properties of the 3D support. In this study, we address these analytical challenges by evaluating for the first time the 3D culture of a sub-population of cancer stem cells (CSCs) from a glioblastoma cancer cell line (U87-MG), produced by a SdFFF (sedimentation field-flow fractionation) cell sorting, in a supramolecular hydrogel composed of single, well-defined molecule (bis-amide bola amphiphile 0.25% w/v) with a stiffness of 0.4 kPa. CSCs were chosen for their ability of self-renewal and multipotency that allow them to generate fully-grown tumors from a small number of cells.The results demonstrate that CSCs cultured in the hydrogel formed spheroids with a mean diameter of 336.67 ± 38.70 µm by Day 35, indicating reproducible growth kinetics. This uniformity is in contrast with spheroids derived from unsorted cells, which displayed a more heterogeneous growth pattern, with a mean diameter of 203.20 ± 102.93 µm by Day 35. Statistical analysis using an unpaired t-test with unequal variances confirmed that this difference in spheroid size is significant, with a p-value of 0.0417 (p < 0.05).These findings demonstrate that CSC-derived spheroids, when cultured in a well-defined hydrogel, exhibit highly reproducible growth patterns compared to spheroids derived from unsorted cells, making them a more reliable 3D model for biological research and drug testing applications.

Detection of serum SNHG22 and its correlation with prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer

BackgroundLung cancer accounts for a significant proportion of cancer-related deaths in China, with the majority of the cases being classified as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The study aimed to investigate the expression of serum SNHG22 in patients with NSCLC, and its molecular mechanism and prognostic potential in NSCLC.MethodsAdmitted 125 NSCLC patients were selected for the study, along with 125 healthy individuals in the same period. The levels of SNHG22 and miR-128-3p were quantified via RT-qPCR. Correlations between the SNHG22 level and the pathological characteristics of the NSCLC patients were investigated through the application of the chi-square test. The targeting relationship between SNHG22 and miR-128-3p was predicted by online database and confirmed by luciferase activity. The prognostic ability of SNHG22 in NSCLC was assessed by Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariate Cox analysis.ResultsSNHG22 was upregulated in NSCLC and directly targeted miR-128-3p. The rate of overall survival is lower in patients with high-SNHG22 group compared to those with low-SNHG22 group. Silencing SNHG22 impaired the functionality of cells, which was restored by miR-128-3p inhibitor. SNHG22 stands as an independent predictor of poor prognosis in NSCLC patients.ConclusionThe overexpression of SNHG22 in NSCLC is related to lymph node metastasis, TNM stage and patient survival, which is expected to be a prognostic predictor of NSCLC patients.

THE INFLUENCE OF CHEMICAL AGENTS ON THE TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND SAFETY OF PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AGAINST ELECTRIC SHOCK

The research project’s primary goals were to develop occupational risk management protocols for people who perform maintenance tasks on electrical installations and, in turn, to develop new work tools designed to protect workers in those installations. The research project’s findings are presented in this paper. In order to check the behaviour of the safety characteristics of the protective equipment material under certain influence of professional risk factors, protective equipment materials were subject to tests. The components of in use or new electro-insulating equipment, were evaluated through sampling. Electro-insulating materials underwent dielectric, mechanical, attrition testing, and chemical agent application. The findings revealed the weakness of some electrical insulating materials whose declared duration of use exceeded five years after commissioning, necessitating the assessment of new technical standards for health and safety workplace.

A Modified and Customized Wingsuit Flying Search (MCWFS)-based Approach for the Circular Scan Architecture

The circular scan architecture (CSA) is a widely used scan design technique in digital circuit testing that involves scanning test data through a circuit in a circular pattern. Several optimization approaches have been suggested so far to lessen the Test Data Volume (TDV), but no one has shown satisfactory results. Therefore, this paper proposes a Modified and Customized Wingsuit Flying Search algorithm to decrease the test data volume time. The proposed MCWFS-SBA-CSA introduces some novel features that distinguish it from traditional circular scan approaches. The concept of wingsuit flying is an innovative approach in the field of scan systems. This allows the scan that moves more dynamically and efficiently, enabling it to cover a larger area in a shorter time than traditional circular-scan approaches. After this phase, only scan-chosen inputs are required to obtain the next test pattern from the captured response. Therefore, required less Automatic test equipment (ATE) memory in this research so there is a Decreased cost in system-on-chip (SOC). The proposed method attains fast global searching capacity. The efficiency of the proposed technique attains 26.42%, 32.45%, and 29.34% higher compression ratio (CR), Test Application Time (TAT) reduction of SC-128 attains 29.45%, 34.67%, and 40.22% higher, TDV of SC-256 attains 32.23%, 36.34%, and 39.23% higher than existing methods, such as TDV for Circular Scan Approaches utilizing Modified Shuffled Shepard Optimization (TDV-CSA-MSSO), Effectual Very-large-scale integration Test data compression system for CSA under modified and colony metaheuristic (ETDC-CSA-MACMH), and Test Data Compression Utilizing Tetrad state Skip System (TDC-DC-TSSC) for Digital Circuits, respectively.

Trifluoroacetic acid modified MOF-808 composite coating for solid-phase microextraction of six phenols followed by gas chromatography analysis

The development of adsorption materials with good stability and high efficiency is significant in solid-phase microextraction (SPME). In this work, metal–organic framework MOF-808 (Zr) was modified by trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) to improve its hydrophobicity. MOF-808-TFA was electrochemically deposited on stainless steel wire with poly (3, 4-ethylenedioxthiophene) (PEDOT) to increase its extraction efficiency. The main parameters in the synthesis and extraction procedure were optimized. The prepared MOF-808-TFA@PEDOT nanocomposite coating was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectrometer, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry and thermogravimetric analysis. A direct immersion solid-phase microextraction (DI-SPME) method for six phenols was developed based on the nanocomposite coating which had good service life (150 times). The extraction efficiency was 12 times higher than the commercial PDMS coating. Combined with gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID), a simultaneous determination method for the six phenols was established, which exhibited wide linear range with 0.05–50 μg L−1 (R2 > 0.99). The limit of detection was 0.01–0.08 μg L−1 (S/N = 3), and the limit of quantification was 0.05–0.25 μg L−1. The method was applied to determine the migration quantity of phenols from four metal cans with recovery rate between 85.6–116.8 % (RSD < 13.9 %), and it was verified by standard GC–MS method and SPSS statistical analysis. These results indicated the DI-SPME-GC-FID method had reliability and potential application in security testing for food contact materials.

Data Monetization Service Development Using Iterative Lifecycle Framework, Quality Assurance, and Open Web Application Security Project: A Case Study of a Utility Company in Indonesia

The research aims to provide Data Monetization (DM) services for an Indonesian utility company as a pilot to generate additional revenue beyond the primary operation. The service is built using an iterative development lifecycle framework and evaluated based on five Quality Goals (QGs), including application and security testing activities. The framework includes methods for processing and modeling electricity usage data, testing application quality, checking infrastructure quality, and ensuring access security for front-end and back-end applications using the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP). For data modeling, Support Vector Regression (SVR) is used, and it outperforms Polynomial Regression (PR) and Multi-Layer Perception (MLP) Neural Networks. Furthermore, QG shows strong performance with an Relative Root Mean Squared Error (RRMSE) value &lt; 10%, high forecasting ability with Mean Average Probability Error (MAPE) &lt; 10%, and a near-zero average error rate (Mean Squared Error (MSE)) square using minimal data from four months. The services go through functional and integration test to ensure product quality and application performance, which results in a minimum of 95% service response in throughput, 0.128 seconds for processing 2,000 requests, stability at 300–500 in one second per hour, and 7–21 seconds during peak hours. Additionally, the service passes nine penetration tests and ten vulnerability assessments using the OWASP top 10:2021 category. Based on the comprehensive testing and evaluation results, both the application and the service are considered ready and secured for deployment.

From MIsgivings to MIse-en-scène: The role of invariance in personality science

There are increasing vocal concerns about the application of measurement invariance testing arguing that it is overly strict and arbitrary. We argue that invariance is not just a procedural hurdle but a substantive tool that enhances the understanding of psychological constructs across diverse populations and has important implications for both theory testing and theory development. First, we outline the importance of how invariance, in a broad sense, plays a role at all the major steps within a research cycle, involving both theoretical and methodological concerns. Second, we suggest a list of points linked to these invariance concerns that can benefit research reports to improve reliability, validity, and fairness. We see invariance as a crucial part of scientific inquiry and an informative tool for empirical research. We agree with Funder and Gardiner’s point that “Data are data,” but would like to add that invariance inquiries and their implications help making sense of the data and the underlying world.

A comprehensive genotype-phenotype study in 203 individuals with retinoblastoma

Retinoblastoma is the most common intraocular tumor in children and is caused by biallelic inactivation of the RB1 gene. The identification of RB1 germline variants in patients with retinoblastoma and their families is critical for early diagnosis and prevention. In this study, genetic testing was conducted on the genomic DNA of 203 patients with retinoblastoma using a combined approach of direct sequencing and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) assays for genotype-phenotype correlation studies. Sixty-five germline variants were identified in 80 of the 203 patients, with 67 bilateral and 13 unilateral retinoblastoma cases. The variant detection rates in the bilateral and unilateral cases were 88% and 10%, respectively. Eighteen novel variants were identified. Variants were classified according to their presence, mutation pattern, location, molecular consequences, and pathogenicity. Subsequently, the genotypes and phenotypes of the 203 patients were evaluated. Variants were associated with age at diagnosis (p < 0.001), laterality (p < 0.001), and tumor size (p = 0.010). The molecular consequences of the variants were related to laterality (p < 0.001) and tumor size (p = 0.001). The pathogenicity of the variants was associated with age at diagnosis (p = 0.001), laterality (p = 0.0212), treatment response (p = 0.0470), and tumor size (p = 0.002). These results suggest that patient phenotypes are associated with the inherent characteristics of germline RB1 variants. These findings indicate the potential application of genetic testing results in clinical practice.

Automatic Test Pattern Generation for Robust Quantum Circuit Testing

Quantum circuit testing is essential for detecting potential faults in realistic quantum devices, while the testing process itself also suffers from the inexactness and unreliability of quantum operations. This article alleviates the issue by proposing a novel framework of automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) for robust testing of logical quantum circuits. We introduce the stabilizer projector decomposition (SPD) for representing the quantum test pattern and construct the test application (i.e., state preparation and measurement) using Clifford-only circuits, which are rather robust and efficient as evidenced in the fault-tolerant quantum computation. However, it is generally hard to generate SPDs due to the exponentially growing number of the stabilizer projectors. To circumvent this difficulty, we develop an SPD generation algorithm, as well as several acceleration techniques that can exploit both locality and sparsity in generating SPDs. The effectiveness of our algorithms are validated by (1) theoretical guarantees under reasonable conditions and (2) experimental results on commonly used benchmark circuits, such as Quantum Fourier Transform (QFT), Quantum Volume (QV), and Bernstein-Vazirani (BV) in IBM Qiskit.

Revisiting fiscal deficit sustainability and revenue-expenditure nexus in India

The COVID-19 epidemic has brought to the emergence of fiscal sustainability as an exceptionally challenging issue for both emerging and advanced economies. In this context, it is imperative to assess the sustainability of fiscal deficit in India for the Central and State level for the period 1970–71 to 2021–2022 and 1973–74 to 2021–22, respectively. Furthermore, the study also seeks to establish the cause-and-effect relationship between government expenditure and revenue. The application of Gregory-Hansen cointegration test supports sustainability of fiscal deficits for Central and State governments individually. Additionally, the ARDL model for cointegration indicates that both governments exhibit "weak" sustainability of the fiscal deficit. Finally, the Toda-Yamamoto Granger non-causality test provides evidence in favour of the "spend-tax hypothesis" for both governments. In this backdrop, the present study posits that it is essential for governments to implement fiscal consolidation and prudent fiscal policies in order to reduce the magnitude of the budget deficit, optimise the execution of monetary and exchange rate policies, and foster development driven by the private sector. This approach is crucial to ensure long-term fiscal sustainability and economic stability in India, especially aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Seroprevalence Assessment of Anti-Varicella Antibodies among Adults in the Province of Florence (Italy).

Background: Varicella infections follow a benign course in around 90% of cases, with more severe forms occurring in adults. To identify potential pockets of susceptibility and to improve targeted immunization strategies, this study aims to critically assess immunological status by evaluating varicella seroprevalence among adults (18-99 years) in the province of Florence (Italy), nearly a decade after Tuscany introduced the vaccination program. Methods: A convenience sample of 430 subjects aged 18 to 94 years (mean age 51.8 ± 18.8 years), stratified by age and sex (53.7% of subjects were female; N = 231), was collected between 2018 and 2019. Sero-analytical analyses were conducted utilizing EUROIMMUN Anti-VZV ELISA (IgG) kits. Results: Most of them were of Italian nationality (87.4%; N = 376). Among the 430 tested samples, 385 (89.5%) were positive and 39 (9.1%) were negative. The remaining six sera (1.4%), confirmed as equivocal, were excluded from further analysis. No significant differences were found based on sex (p-value = 0.706) or nationality (p-value = 0.112). The application of trend tests (Mantel-Haenszel; Kendall Tau-b) showed a significant trend (p < 0.024 and p < 0.032, respectively), with an increasing probability of finding a positive anti-varicella serological status passing from a lower age group (84.2%) to a higher one (93.0%). By considering the female population aged 18-49 years, the seroprevalence of anti-varicella antibodies was found to be 88.4%, with a susceptibility of 11.6%, highlighting the risk of acquiring infection during pregnancy. Conclusions: The introduction of varicella vaccination has had a significant impact on public health in Tuscany and in Italy more generally. However, further efforts should be made to reduce the number of individuals still susceptible in adulthood, with particular attention given to women of childbearing age and the promotion of vaccination through mass and social media and institutional websites.

A new method for the determination of Potassium sorbate via Photoelectron transfer using NIR fluorescence Silver-Copper nanocluster probe

Potassium sorbate (PS) is a widely utilized food preservative with bactericidal solid effects. However, it can cause serious side effects and health risks when the dosage is exceeded.Thus, developing an exceptional probe for detecting trace amounts of PS was significantly important. Bimetallic nanoclusters, compared to monometallic nanoclusters, possess better chemical performance. Herein, we introduce a novel fluorescence of Ag/CuNCs (at excitation/emission peaks of 395/680 nm)as a fluorescent probe, is quenched by PS due to electron-transfer (PET) between Ag/CuNCs and PS. the present sensor system exhibits a good linear response to PS ranging from 0.08 to 45 μM, and the limit of detection was found to be 3.7 nM. Its applicability has also been confirmed successfully in drinks. Due to its high stability, sensitivity, and selectivity, this bimetallic cluster-based sensing system shows great promise for application in food safety testing.